Who is Kami Rita Sherpa, the Nepali 'Everest Man' who shattered his own record with a 31st Summit?

Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa, known as the "Everest Man," set a new world record by summiting Mount Everest for the 31st time, leading the Indian army team to the peak.

Kami Rita Sherpa (File Photo)

Image Credit: Getty

Kami Rita Sherpa, the 55-year-old Nepali climber known globally as the "Everest Man," has once again made history by reaching the summit of Mount Everest for a record 31st time. This latest ascent, achieved on Tuesday, extends his own unmatched record and cements his status as the most successful climber in Everest history.

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A Lifelong Dedication to the World's Highest Mountain

Sherpa first reached the summit in 1994 during a commercial expedition and has since returned almost every year to guide climbers to the peak. Over three decades, his repeated successes have turned him into more than a national hero; he is regarded worldwide as a living symbol of Everest itself.

"Massive congratulations to the legendary Kami Rita Sherpa on his 31st successful ascent of Everest — the highest number of ascents by anyone in history," said Seven Summit Treks, the expedition organizers.

Despite his record-breaking feats, Kami Rita Sherpa remains modest about his accomplishments. Speaking in May 2024 after his 29th and 30th summits, he had said, "I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken."

He added, "I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world."

On this latest climb, Kami Rita Sherpa not only reached the peak himself but also led and guided the remaining members of the Indian army team to the top, demonstrating his continued role as a leader and mentor in the mountaineering community.

Seven Summit Treks noted, "He completed the climb on Tuesday as the leader of the Indian army team."

Kami Rita Sherpa — The Legendary ‘Everest Man’

Born in January 1970 in Thame, a small village in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, he comes from a family with a strong mountaineering legacy—his father was one of the first professional Sherpa guides after Everest opened to foreign climbers, and his brother Lakpa Rita has summited Everest 17 times. Kami Rita made his first successful Everest summit in 1994 and has since climbed the peak nearly every year, reaching a historic milestone of 31 summits as of May 2025.

Kami Rita’s mountaineering career spans over three decades, during which he has completed an astonishing 40 summits of peaks above 8,000 meters, including eight ascents of Cho-Oyu, as well as climbs of Lhotse and K2. In 2017, he became the third person to reach Everest’s summit 21 times, sharing the record with Sherpa greats Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa, both of whom later retired. In May 2018, at age 48, Kami Rita surpassed them by reaching Everest’s summit for the 22nd time, setting a new world record that he has since extended multiple times.

Kami Rita initially considered a religious life but chose mountaineering instead. Despite the dangers of his profession and limited government support for Sherpa climbers, he continues to guide expeditions with professionalism and humility. Now residing in Kathmandu with his wife Lakpa Jangmu and their two children, Kami Rita is committed to ensuring his family has safer opportunities through education. Although his wife hopes he will retire, Kami Rita remains dedicated to climbing as long as his body permits, embodying the spirit and resilience of Nepal’s Sherpa community.

Nepal’s Mountaineering Sector Reaches New Heights

Kami Rita Sherpa’s record reflects Nepal’s growing prominence in the global mountaineering arena. Himal Gautam, director of the tourism ministry’s mountaineering and adventure section, praised the achievement: "Kami Rita Sherpa's record ascent has helped to take Nepal's mountaineering sector to the next height."

Each spring, hundreds of climbers from around the world flock to Nepal to attempt Everest and other Himalayan peaks. This season alone, over 500 climbers have successfully summited Everest, with Nepal issuing more than 1,100 climbing permits and earning over $5 million in royalties.

A Legacy of Climbing Excellence

Since the first successful ascent by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953, Nepal has become a hub for mountaineering adventure and business. Kami Rita Sherpa’s extraordinary career stands as a testament to this legacy and continues to inspire climbers worldwide.

While Kami Rita Sherpa holds the record for the most Everest summits overall, British climber Kenton Cool recently extended his own record for the most ascents by a non-Nepali, successfully reaching the summit for the 19th time earlier this month.